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Re: I got a Dragon 32!
Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 1:04 am
by Commodore
Ah! So that is a pretty big difference then. I presume the TRS-80 PSU certainly isn't Dragon compatible then!
Re: I got a Dragon 32!
Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 1:19 pm
by Commodore
BIG NEWS!
My Dragon 32 arrived back yesterday, and courtesy of Sorchard's repair skills and the diagnostics of Sixxie I now have a fully functioning Dragon 32!
So far I have loaded and had a quick go on Chuckie Egg (a game that I can actually play!) and Airball.
From what I have seen so far I'm very impressed with what was possible on this machine. Airball in particular is a very smart looking game, with some pretty good sound.
Did the Dragon have a dedicated sound chip? How many voices did it have?
I love the Isometric games on the Spectrum, so it was nice to see such a good one on the Dragon.
I also tried Tetras, but at the last moment I got I/O error (probably a volume issue) but I tried typing EXEC anyway and it worked, well sort of, I had no control over the pieces, I assume I was meant to use the arrow keys.
Next job is to hack an old Scart cable apart and attach a 5 pin DIN plug to make myself a SCART lead. I'll be honest though, the modulator in the Dragon must be a bit better than in the Commodore and Sinclair offerings as the picture and sound are pretty good using that. It looks like the same unit though, so maybe I just got lucky.
Anyway many thanks Sorchard especially but also, Sixxie, and Rolo.
Re: I got a Dragon 32!
Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 9:45 am
by jedie
btw. you use a TFT as Display? Then please insert it in the List here:
http://archive.worldofdragon.org/index. ... e=Monitors
The Dragon didn't have a dedicated sound chip
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
Re: I got a Dragon 32!
Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 11:48 am
by Commodore
Thanks for the info Jedie.
Actually I still use a Sony CRT portable, very 80s!
Re: I got a Dragon 32!
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 1:53 pm
by zephyr
Does your Dragon 32 run OK at
double speed?
Re: I got a Dragon 32!
Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2014 9:38 pm
by Commodore
Not tried that. I'll give it a go and let you know.
I'm assuming it can't damage the hardware in any way.
Re: I got a Dragon 32!
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 1:12 pm
by zephyr
Commodore wrote:Not tried that. I'll give it a go and let you know.
I'm assuming it can't damage the hardware in any way.
Highly improbable. In 30+ years I have never heard of a Dragon computer being damaged by the double speed poke. I have run some of my own Dragons (32 and 64) continually at double speed for several days.
Re: I got a Dragon 32!
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 8:24 pm
by Commodore
OK, thanks for the clarification Zephyr.
I thought it unlikely as so far as I am aware none of my other 8 bit machines can be damaged by anything typed in; I do have a vague recollection of a *UNPLUG command that could cause a BBC Master a few problems, if I recall correctly.
Re: I got a Dragon 32!
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:19 pm
by zephyr
Commodore wrote:Not tried that. I'll give it a go and let you know.
Did it run OK at double speed (POKE65495,0)?
Re: I got a Dragon 32!
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:08 am
by Alastair
Commodore wrote:I thought it unlikely as so far as I am aware none of my other 8 bit machines can be damaged by anything typed in; I do have a vague recollection of a *UNPLUG command that could cause a BBC Master a few problems, if I recall correctly.
There is a poke that can kill some Commodore PETs so it pays to be wary, but beyond crashing my D32 the double speed poke has never harmed my double speed incapable Dragon.